In addition to my regular driving, I drive 2,950 miles (4,700km) every fall to Mexico and return in the spring. Not a hope in blazes I'd try to do that in an EV. It would take a month one way. Either I give out or the Passat will, but that's what I'll be driving.

Power generation uses steam turbines and not steam piston engines. The piston version is more or less a novelty. Horses are used in third world countries not becauee they work but because they have no money for machinery. The IC engine will be around but it will become a novelty. All is needed is a jump in battery technology and the end will be here for them.

Steam locomotives are still very much in use in many parts of Africa even today.

They are still in use in Cuba, Indonesia, and China was still using them (heck, they were still building them) up until just a few years ago.

Poland still has a handful of them in use too.

No, these are not major networks of trains necessarily, but in this country we've sadly moved away from major train networks too, and replaced it with hordes of giant semi trucks all over the Interstates... not sure that is a good thing.

ICE vehicles burning gasoline and diesel will still be in widespread use in much of the world for a long time to come. Even if the rate of increase slows down (or stops) and just stays at the status it is now and every new vehicle sold is electric, that will STILL mean we'll be seeing them for 50+ years yet.

They may change and morph somewhat, but clearly there has been no desire to even embrace the advancements we already had 20 years ago when the Prius first came out. Back then, Toyota stated that they'd have a hybrid version of every car, truck, and van they make within 10 years, and that within 20 years, EVERY car, truck, and van they make will be a hybrid. It will become standard. Well, guess what?

That has not happened. Not even close. Toyota's own non-hybrid sales outpace their hybrids by a HUGE margin, despite adding a few more hybrid models to their lineup... all of which are an "optional" version of an existing car save for the Prius models and those stillborn sales Lexus models like the HS.

But you can go to a Toyota dealer and buy a giant V8 powered pickup truck!

On a totally different vein .... if you get a Mazda, get good rustproofing. I have seen rot on their cars in the last few years, that rivals mid 1970 fords! 2009 5, never accidented, and both rear 1/4 panels rotted right thru! And that was last year. So spend a litttle money on a good undercoating if you plan to keep it.

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All retired, bought a Subaru.... all wheel drive, and a little bigger than the high line. Time will tell!

On a totally different vein .... if you get a Mazda, get good rustproofing. I have seen rot on their cars in the last few years, that rivals mid 1970 fords! 2009 5, never accidented, and both rear 1/4 panels rotted right thru! And that was last year. So spend a litttle money on a good undercoating if you plan to keep it.

From google searches, it appears the rust issue is not as bad. Wify has a 2013 Speed3 and so far no problems. To the original subject, I'm also keeping an eye at the CX-5 diesel as an option. (others are Chev Equinox Diesel, gas GSW, subbie outback). Sadly, all of these choices are a downgrade to my current GSW. I will lose some sort of a feature, most notably, the manual. *sigh*